Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Olive Oil from Tuscany

Olive oil from Tuscany is becoming ever more popular, and maybe you’ll want to try some while touring Italy, but you may be in for a surprise; the real McCoy tastes a lot different to what you may be used to.

The corporate companies that supply supermarkets have little concern for quality, despite what they publicize or write on the bottle. It’s a question of economics. A single tree will yield about six pints of high quality oil, and this is just too little if you need to produce huge quantities at low prices. So they resort to a number of nasty tricks to dilute the oil, or use otherwise unsuitable (rotting or fermenting) olives, then correct the inevitable faults chemically. As most industrial concerns producing cheap olive oil use the same methods, these oils have the same flavor, and maybe it’s the one your used too. Unfortunately European legislation is just not strict enough, and it’s easy to fraud or even legally produce bad olive oil. I’ll not write a lengthy article on why this is, just take my word for it.

Typical color of newly milled Olive Oil

I’m betting you've never tasted a genuine high quality Olive oil from Tuscany, and when you do it can be quite a surprise. It’s bitter and fruity and doesn't have an exaggerated taste of olives. However if you taste an industrial oil side by side, the difference becomes immediately apparent. You’ll unlikely want the bad stuff again. The word most people use to describe the smell and flavor of industrial oils is, “rancid.”

Fortunately there are a number of high quality producers in Tuscany, and some also have the DOP or IGP certification. These acronyms define the geographical origins of the oil, but more importantly that the oil has been tasted and analyzed by the authorities, who certify its quality. The oil is submitted for anonymous laboratory analysis, and is also subject to a blind tasting by a panel of experts. Only if it passes both tests is the company allowed to add DOP or IGP. When buying Italian olive oil back home look for the acronyms on the label.

A word on prices. I can’t say that paying a high price tag will guarantee you get quality olive oil, but a low price will definitely guarantee bad oil.

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My personal info

My passions in life are photography and wine, though In all honesty I’m neither a photographer or a sommelier. To begin with wine, I've taken numerous wine courses, and I have obtained the first level of proficiency of the Italian Sommeliers Association, (there are three levels). I regularly attend wine tasting dinners organized by the same association. I also attend wine fares, mainly in Tuscany and I think I can declare to be quite an expert on Tuscan wines.

I've been taking photos since I was a child, and again it’s just a hobby, I've never done any professional training, and I’m not much concerned about technicalities either. However I have an eye for scenery, or so people tell me, and I've been touring Tuscany most of my life, where some of the world's finest scenery is to be found. I've now transferred my life's experience to my work: Giving Wine Tours in Tuscany and Scenic Tours of Tuscany.

My tours are about scenery, countryside,and of course the wine of Tuscany. So if you want to know more aboutChianti, Brunello & Super Tuscans wines, Im your man. I won’t bore you with history lessons, but I will nonetheless explain the Tuscan countryside from a historical and agricultural point of view, and of course give you insights on the Tuscan wine culture. Then we'll stop to admire the gorgeous Tuscan landscapes for some great photo opportunities, I know all the best locations, and above all without being hurried.

The highlights of the day are my wine tastings in Tuscany. I've chosen my favorite Tuscan wineries, and even my basic tours will guarantee a feast for your taste buds. If you are passionate about Tuscan wine, I have specialty Tuscan wine tours where we taste wines that have received prestigious results in publications around the world. However a 90+ score plus isn't enough, I also have to like them, and they also have to have a good track record with my clients. Last but not least I choose my wineries for the attitude of the staff and owners, and only welcoming friendly estates get to be part of my Tuscan wine tours.